WASHINGTON, DC - House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) discussed Republicans' failed 'Plan B' and the need for a balanced solution to the fiscal cliff tonight on MSNBC and Bloomberg TV. See below for excerpts of the interviews and links to the videos.

“I think today shows very, very clearly, that in fact President Obama has been willing to compromise, willing to make a balanced deal possible from his perspective. And I think [Speaker] John Boehner wanted to get there, but what John Boehner has shown tonight is that his caucus does not want to make a balanced agreement, to make sure that working Americans don't get a tax increase, to make sure that we deal with the doctors' reimbursement for Medicare, make sure the sequester doesn't happen. His crowd has too many theocratic members who are interested only in their own ideology and not in the welfare of the country.”

“None of us want to go over the cliff. That's not good for our economy, it's not good for our people, and we need to work to avoid that … I am hopeful that in the next…six days between now and next Wednesday…the Speaker and others will work to try to get to an agreement that can in fact be adopted by the House of Representatives, passed by the United States Senate, and signed by the President of the United States. That will require what we haven't seen in this Republican majority - the willingness to compromise and be reasonable and make sure the math works.”

“We need to get a deal. We need to keep that uppermost in mind. And we're not taking the position as the Republicans have taken: ‘my way or the highway.’ … so there needs to be compromise. The country needs us to come to an agreement. But what the Republicans have to understand is clearly they can't get a large number of their party [to vote in agreement]. … And if they come to a reasonable agreement with the President of the United States, I think we can pass such an agreement. I think it would be good for the country, good for the economy.”

On Bloomberg TV

“Our economy needs us to come to an agreement. The sequester is not an option. Raising taxes on working Americans is not an option. We need to come to an agreement. Everyone has seen that the President has moved toward the Republican position not because he agrees with it, but because he understands as President of the United States that it is necessary for us to have this Congress come together and make a balanced judgment of how we can put our country on a fiscal sustainable path.”

“The President has moved far from his original starting position. He has done so because he is committed to getting a commitment and understands that compromise is necessary. We have not seen any movement on behalf of the Republicans that was credible. …Sixty five percent of the American people understand that we've got to ask of those who have the most to pay a little more. ...They understand that you need a balanced agreement to move forward. They want restraints in spending, they want to make sure there is not waste, fraud, and abuse. But they also want to make sure that we have a fair deal and not a skewed deal. … If we can [reach a balanced deal], it is the biggest thing we can do to assist this economy [to] grow, and create jobs, and give relief and confidence to working Americans.”